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My lessons with Flossie, a roan Standardbred mare |
| This is an on-going diary or autobiography |
| FLOSSIE'S 237th LESSON Flossie was strong this morning and since she had so much energy I had her work a couple extra laps on the track in both directions. She would have been great on an all-day trail ride. I used Pain Away on my seat bones before I got dressed this morning so the pain wasn’t as bad as it was last week. My right seat bone barely bothers me at all, it’s just the left that’s been giving me grief. I figure if the right seat bone can get used to the pounding, then it’ll only be a matter of time before the left one stops bothering me, too. I worked Flossie on the circle and she gave me the nicest, slowest canter ever. Especially to the right. She went into a nice up and down rocking chair motion that I covet so much. I had Bambi in the paddock and just led her around trees, stopping her in hand every now and then, just to get her to focus on me. She did very well. I had her backing and yielding from the side. It took her a long time to understand what I wanted, so as soon as she’d lift a leg without taking a step either backward or foreword, I’d stop and praise her. She ended up moving two steps to the right before I was done. I plan to continue doing a lot of that sort of thing with her in the future. I didn’t bother putting the saddle on her today. I really don’t think it’s an issue with her. Des’ young stallion actually bit into a carrot today and ate it like any other horse. Last week he just grated the outside layer with his teeth and munched on what he got, but this time he actually took real bites. I told Des and he said he’ll start buying carrots for him now that he knows he’ll eat them. The sky was in the process of clouding up all day and sometimes rain fell like spit. I could see each individual drop coming down against the trees as if they were flower petals. At first I wasn’t even sure it was rain I was looking at. As soon as I finished with the mares and everyone had their carrots, the sky finally managed to fill every square inch with clouds and there was a strong sense of impending rain in the air. It’s now five hours later, but still the only real substantial rain I’ve seen so far today is in the forecast. Des and Pat were both happy to hear I passed my Australian citizenship test yesterday. Des said now I’m a full-fledged Aussie, but in actuality, I still need to take the pledge in a formal ceremony. I can’t even apply for a passport until then. It feels good, though, to hear the words. It won’t be long now before it actually becomes reality! |
| FLOSSIE'S 236th LESSON The first thing I noticed when I arrived at Dessyland this morning was the empty spaces left behind where Billy’s feed, feed bin, hay trolley, chairs, buckets, manure bags, and three horses used to be. It felt strange to see everything looking so different, like walking into another dimension. It was a day made for riding. It was neither hot nor cold. Flossie was feeling good and she gave me a good ride. I had no trouble with keeping my weight in my stirrups. In fact, I forgot all about them. At the canter, both feet stayed balanced and secure. I did some really good leg stretches before I left the house and I believe they did some good. I took good ol’ Flossie around for only three laps at a trot in both directions on the track. She could have gone four times, each, and should have, but my butt was killing me. Since I lost weight with Giardia, I’ve lost some padding around my seat bones and boy don’t I feel it now! Flossie’s canter was smooth as glass but the ground was hard and each step felt like it was pounding on cement. It was easier on the circle because I work her in the grass. She didn’t circle as well for me today as she did last week, though. She didn’t like doing figure 8’s in the arena, either. Last week she was a dream. I managed to practice my independent seat, though, in spite of her, and made her work regardless. I saddled Bambi and put a lead with a chain over her nose before walking her around the track on foot. I just knew I’d need that extra control with her. I took her around to the right this time, since I had gone the other way with her last week. Flossie and the other little mare that are always turned out with Bambi didn’t follow her around this time the way they did last week. Bambi kept looking for them, but I jerked the chain and made her focus on walking. She stopped when we approached the road where Gary has a rope strung out across the dam, which he uses to swim his horses. When I urged her on, she reared and I got after her. I was glad for the chain around her nose. She walked after that without incident. Every now and then I’d yell “Ho!” and make her come to a complete halt. I wouldn’t let her walk on again until I decided she could go. She’s obedient but hasn’t been handled in 7 years so she still has some wild thinking going in her brain at times. She’s going to need a lot more handling before I get on her. She’s built with a short back, the ability to bend easily, and has very athletic, agile legs so her gaits will be totally different from Flossie’s. Des talked to his doctor about Diabet Aid, a cream for diabetic leg pain, and the doctor gave him a printout off the computer about the product. It’s not being sold in Australia yet, but the doctor checked the label against another brand from Switzerland which has the exact same ingredients that he can purchase right here in Oz. He bought a tube for $35. He has been using it now for four days but it will take six weeks or more before it will take effect. Des’ little colt with the funny marking on his face actually took a carrot from me for the first time ever. He sort of grated it with his teeth instead of just taking it from my hand and biting it the way every other horse does. I ended up putting the remainder of it in his feed box. I’m hoping he’ll chomp on it when he gets his oats tonight. My latest Horse Wyse Magazine arrived today, so I should be in for some enjoyable horsey reading later on tonight! |
| FLOSSIE'S 235th LESSON First thing I noticed today when I went out to the paddock to get Flossie was that her weight has gone back down to what it was before I went to India. I have been able to put her girth back up a notch again. Now she and Bambi wear the saddle on the same notch. It’s interesting to see that working her for an hour or so each week keeps her weight down. Flossie was so obedient today she was a joy to ride. I kept my attention on the weight in my left stirrup no matter what I was doing; standing, walking, pacing, trotting, or cantering. It was a lot easier to do than I had expected it to be. I noticed a big improvement in my seat, especially at the canter. I have more control over each step Flossie takes, I feel more balanced, and I can use myself more independently. The pumping Flossie does on the circle near the road was very minimal today. I was ready for her and didn’t let her get even so much as one ‘pump’ in. I got her to bend nicely and she circled slowly. Between her cooperation and the work I put into myself, a lot was accomplished today. It sure helps to have my strength and endurance back, too. I was well and competent this morning which is a lot more than I can say for the way it was when I was sick. Once again, the saddle wasn’t an issue with Bambi. She looked back at it when I put it on her, but she took it as though she always gets a saddle put on her back. I cinched her up and then walked her around the track, stirrups dangling against her sides. When we got to the road, Flossie and the other little mare who live in the paddock with Bambi, came running up from behind and took her attention off me. She wanted to run with them and tear off through the grass when they came by, kicking up their heels and taking off for the other side of the paddock. I had to jerk on the lead rope and yell “Hey!” to get her focus back on me. I slapped her neck once to get her facing the right way. I finally got her to walk, and once I had her listening to me, she was a little reluctant to go by the road. It didn’t take a lot of encouragement, though, to get her past. I just kept telling her to walk and acted like there was nothing to be afraid of. Des told me Billy’s moving his horses off Des’ property. The youngest colt he had is already gone. I think he still has four more horses to go. Des said he’ll be moving all his equipment and stuff this weekend. I hope that means his horses will be gone, too. Des can use the extra room and he’ll be able to fix things up. Billy let things go to pieces. He’s not much of a horseman in any way, shape, or form. I’ll be glad to see the end of him. Des said everyone’s glad to see him go. Back to reality . . . I have a supper to cook and a husband to welcome home between shifts and clothes to check on the line. Storm clouds are moving in and I have to keep an eye on them. Without the sun, my saddle pad and jodhpurs just don’t dry. |
| FLOSSIE'S 234th LESSON Flossie was a nut at the canter on the track today. She trotted okay, but when it came to the canter, she got silly. I had to come back down to a trot again before I could work her properly at the canter. Eventually she came good. (As Des would put it). I think it’s the cooler weather that makes her rambunctious sometimes. She circled better than ever, though, bending and staying at a nice slow pace for me. If I keep my hand that holds the outside rein near the pommel, she circles pretty much on her own. I’m getting used to my longer stirrups and practiced keeping weight in my left one. I think taking the weight out of the stirrups is why I lose it sometimes. My strength is returning and I no longer have to take time to rest anymore. Weatherwise, it was a perfect day, made for the saddle. You couldn’t have asked for a more perfect blend of sunshine and cool air. The crystal clear sky was glittering with gold and there were no clouds about at all. Once I had Flossie in the yard, she snorted at the lawn mower and the gigs that were in places where they normally aren’t and she had to go up to them and investigate before going by. I always take her to a tree stump, which I use as a mounting block, before taking her down the driveway. We had to pass the gigs to get to the stump and the mower was right beside it. “Well,” I said, “Come on.” So she did. I mounted and had her standing there quietly for the longest time. Having her stand while I’m in the saddle is always part of her training. Horses should learn to stand patiently, I believe, no matter who they are or what they’re used for. After untacking Flossie, I used warm water I had brought from home to wash the sweat off her back, down the back of her hind legs, and in the pastern of each foot. I don’t like to use the hose on chilly mornings this time of the year. Just for fun I thought I’d give Bambi some action today. I tossed Flossie’s saddle on her back and she took to it like nothing. I lunged her with it on and she was as good as gold. She only looked back at the saddle once when I first put it on her, but she never flinched or became aggravated. When I tightened the girth she didn’t seem to notice. I’ll have to find a bridle for her somewhere and a good bit because Des expects me to ride her now. Bambi seemed eager to please. She worked hard to figure out what I wanted. She was very sensible and I enjoyed working with her. She has a more tractable horsenality than Flossie has and possesses some endearing behaviors. She is also more flexible than Flossie is and would probably find reining maneuvers easy to pick up. I had the best time working two horses today. I told Des I’m going to continue working with Bambi and he said that’s great. So there you have it. Now, when I go to sleep tonight, I’ll be dreaming about two horses instead of only one. |
| FLOSSIE'S 233rd LESSON There were no machines working around Des’ place this morning so I had a quiet ride for a change. My body is still not back up to par as far as strength and endurance goes since I was sick with Giardia from my trip to India. I felt fine while I was riding in the saddle this morning, but as soon as I dismounted, I felt pooped. I suspect the first dose of medicine that I was given did not kill all the bugs, for the symptoms I had before have not disappeared. I’ll know for sure in three days when the latest test results come back from the lab. Flossie has always been suspicious of the trees near the rail road track, the ones that grow in her paddock on the inside of the track that I work her on. When these trees get overgrown she starts to get cautious around them and today was no exception. She didn’t stop, but she went with her ears cocked towards them and her heart on the brakes. Flossie’s in season, so she was a bit bronchy. I worked her the same as usual on the track and then did some work in the ‘arena’. I had her doing figure eights around two trees which is something we hadn’t done in a long time. I worked her on the circle, but did very little cantering. I mainly worked on balance as I acclimated myself to the new length in stirrups. I wouldn’t let Flossie grab the shank, and because she couldn’t play with it, she stayed calmer for me. She still flapped her lips, though. I don’t mind that because I still have control over the bit in her mouth. I’m getting used to the longer length of my stirrups, but I tend to lose my left one at the canter. I think this may be a residual problem related to the ‘rogue leg syndrome’ I used to have with my left leg once before. I suspect I may need a new saddle soon because ever since I lowered the stirrups, I’m experiencing pain in my seat bones now. Even just at a walk or a standstill, as if the leather has worn thin and there’s no longer any padding. I groomed Flossie in the yard before I gave her carrots in the paddock today. I usually groom and carrot at the same time. However, doing it this way, I was able to hand-feed her and didn’t need to use the tarp. I had to do the grooming in increments, though, because I was so pooped. I’d use the curry on her, then sit down until my strength returned. Then I used the dandy brush on her, sat down to rest again. Then I picked her hooves out, sat down, then finally combed her mane and tail. There were two other mares in the paddock with Flossie and Bambi this morning and one of them I never even knew was there until we were pulling out of the driveway! She must have been grazing in the trees all morning. Maybe she was in the trees Flossie was shying at! |
| FLOSSIE'S 232nd LESSON Just when I had thought I was done with the power machines at Des’ place I arrived this morning to find them alive and well ripping trees out of the ground on the other side of the railroad tracks near the Woodlands behind the stalls at Dessyland. I didn’t mind that they were there so much, since they weren’t really a threat to my ride, but I did mind the way they robbed me of the silence I so dearly enjoy. I mounted Flossie in the yard this morning instead of walking her in hand to the road the way I have been doing in the past. Just as I had suspected, she behaved as though a bogeyman was going to jump out at her with every step. Still, she went around the track at every gait in both directions without balking just as pretty as you please. She didn’t give me any grief on the track near the new road, either, even though some huge vehicles came by once in a while making a lot of noise. I lengthened my stirrups and the difference brought my head forward and moved my legs back. It took some getting used to. I found them to be a very satisfactory length and I was pleased that I didn’t have to keep reaching for them at every stride as I was afraid I might. I still can’t get over how strong a body needs to be in order to ride a horse properly. I can see how out of condition I am, after my month-long trip to India. Even some of the exercises I do before I ride every week are difficult now. I’m hoping that once I win the battle over the Giardia bug I caught in India I’ll be myself again. Flossie didn’t do well on the circle today and since I wasn’t up to it, I let it go this week. I am hoping I’ll be able to get after her more next week once my body is stronger and I’m no longer feeling the ill effects of the parasites I’ve been carrying around with me for 22 days. Still, all-in-all, I did enjoy my ride more today than I did last week. Flossie’s hooves didn’t show any signs of thrush this week. Although not surprised, I was still pleased to find them just as clean and dry and odorless as ever. When I cooled Flossie out by taking her for a walk down the driveway, two men on small 3-wheelers were racing around the paddock next door. Flossie started to back up and turn as they came by so I had to holler at them to slow down. I found out later they were Government workers looking for fire ants. You and I both know those men won’t be there next week, but I know without a doubt Flossie will be on the lookout for them the next time I ride her down the driveway. The bot flies are terrible this year. On Flossie, the insides of both front legs were covered with the yellow eggs and I had to scrape them off with a knife. Last year there were only a few eggs and I only had to use the knife once all season. I have a feeling that won’t be the case this year. Des is coming down with a cold. He said he had an appointment this afternoon to see his doctor about his legs. I told him he’ll have to let me know what he says. Pat told me had had bronchitis while I was in India last month. Pat is no spring chicken, and bronchitis can be very serious. He said he had a severe case of the sickness, so I’m glad he pulled through as well as he did. Yesterday, my doctor warned me that the medicine he prescribed for the parasites I picked up in India would make me feel nauseous. They didn’t affect me that way yesterday, but they sure did today. I’m so glad I waited until after my ride to take them. I only have one more day’s worth of medication so next week I should be back to normal again! |
| FLOSSIE'S 231st LESSON I took my ride very easy for Flossie’s sake as well as my own because it’s been over a month since I rode her last. I couldn’t get over how fat she had gotten! I had to let her girth out one notch so the saddle would fit her. I felt like I was riding a pachyderm instead of a horse! I was pleased to see the new road is finally open and that Flossie was used to all the traffic that kept passing by. For some reason Bambi and the mare that was turned out with her started running around the paddock like crazy just before I got in the saddle. I have no idea what set them off. Flossie and I both ignored them. I mounted Flossie by the road as I have been doing all along but I didn’t think it’s necessary any longer. Next time I’ll mount her by the yard again and see what happens. I’m sure she’ll be okay. When the big machines were working on the new road, I’d walk her in hand which helped to give her courage. Now that the machines are no longer there, there’s no reason to do that anymore. I only rode three laps at a trot and one lap at a canter in both directions this week. I also worked her in the circle at a slow gait and then at a canter and was pleased that she did such a nice slow canter for me. We rested in the shade quite a bit since I didn’t get to ride until 10:30 and it was already pretty hot by then. It was so good to see my little Floss again, but she didn’t seem particularly happy to see me. She went very obediently and with plenty of compulsion, though, so at least I knew she was enjoying the exercise. I, on the other hand, couldn’t believe how early on I got puffed. Posting the trot had never been so taxing! I marvelled at the shape I must have been in prior to my month off in India. I hope it doesn’t take me too long to get back into the swing of things again. I had forgotten to treat my leg with pain killers before I rode, but the month I spent out of the saddle must have given it a much-needed rest because it didn’t bother me at all. All the horses are already growing their winter coats and by the looks of them, I think it’s going to be a very cold one this year. Flossie’s feet had manure packed in them and her right hind foot has developed thrush. I’ve never seen thrush in her feet before. I hope it goes away without treatment now that I’m back to clean them every week. |
| FLOSSIE'S 230th LESSON What a quiet ride I had today without all those monstrous machines clanging away near the track, or those workmen in their bright green vests wandering around the new road! As I tacked Flossie up, a bird serenaded me, singing, “La cucaracha, la cucaracha”. I had never heard the bird before, but the song sure made some nice music to saddle by. I took time to savor each and every one of those sounds of nature that I had missed out on for the past year or so! I took in the aqueous splash the ducks made as they took off from the dam, or landed in the water with their tiny ducklings paddling away behind them as fast as their little webbed feet could take them! It was so good to hear the magpies oo-rooling in the wind-soughed trees and the sound of chirping insects in the rain-enriched shrubbery. Flossie worked so well at everything today and it made me feel so good. She took the correct lead in both directions time and time again. When I’m positioned in a balanced seat I can feel where her hind legs are which makes it easier to cue her at the right time. I am starting to get good at this for the first time in my life, (or at least since I’ve been a student), and, consequently, Flossie is getting good at it, too. She is such a quick learner! In spite of the heat, I was able to do everything today from the usual warming up laps around the track at all gaits in both directions, to circling in the corner, and practicing the stride-counting exercise I’ve been working on lately. I just made sure Flossie got some rest in the shade between exercises. Ten minutes usually does the trick. Flossie wasn’t anticipating the halts today on the counting exercise as she had been in the past, and actually waited for her cue from me before making a move on her own, and she didn’t get herself all worked up, either, which means she didn’t worry the shank, as is her habit when she gets wound up. The very worst she did today was to try to run too fast in the canter on the circle to the right. If not an entire circle, I was at least able to get a few nicely collected strides out of her where the motion was up and down, like a rocking horse. Eventually, I want to see that stride all the way around the circle for as many laps as I wish. It was 90 degrees again, so as soon as I got what I wanted, I stopped and let her rest. I gave her a good hosing down afterwards and then stood in the paddock with her for the longest time. I didn’t want to leave her, nor even just take my hands off her. I told her I won’t be back again until April and she just swished her tail and kept on grazing. I told Des he won’t be seeing me again now until I get back from India and we were talking about the need to get away sometimes and he brought up his plans for the future. He said he’s going to have surgery on his legs again and if they don’t come good this time, he’s going to move to be near his daughter. I’m not sure when he’s scheduled for surgery, but I’m sure he’ll tell me when the time comes. Since we’re leaving for India this Friday, and won’t be back until the first week of April, Norm and I have been running around here in all directions, trying to catch up on all those last-minute errands that need attending to before embarking on such a lengthy trip overseas. All the bills that are due next month have to be paid before we go, and the mail has to be stopped at the Post Office, the book I borrowed last week has to be taken back to the library, Norm has all his paper work to get out in order to get his pay-check before we leave, the police have to be notified so they can watch our house for us while we’re gone, and the neighbors have to be approached so they can pull our garbage cans off the curb for us so they won’t be left there for an entire month. I’m sure there’s lots more but those are the chores that come immediately to mind. It’ll be good to get away for a while, but I know I will miss Flossie and all her horsey pals. |
| FLOSSIE'S 229th LESSON I didn’t get to ride until almost lunchtime, the hottest time of the day, and even though I spent an hour in the saddle, because it was 90 degrees I only worked Flossie for a half hour on the track. I didn’t even bother taking her to the corner so we didn’t do any circling. The two loose mares started running around us again just before I mounted. I have no idea what se them off this time. Maybe it was the water truck that came by the track on the new road, making noises like the kind big trucks make when they back up. They didn’t run with as much enthusiasm as they did last week, though, nor did they carry on for as long a time, either. As before, Flossie just ignored them. I worked her in both directions at every gait and then I parked her in the shade and I had her rest for a good half hour. Bambi and Kicky came over and the four of us just stood around together. Well, actually, I stayed in the saddle. Flossie cooled out completely in that time, and eventually her breathing returned to normal, but I didn’t fare so well. I hadn’t eaten anything at home before I left the house, and I didn’t drink any water, so the physical activity on an empty stomach in such hot weather gave me heat stroke and I got sick to my stomach. My head went black and I thought I was going to die, or at least faint. I dismounted and sat on the ground in front of Flossie for the longest time. When I got up I felt even worse than before. I handed Flossie to Pat and he put her in the wash rack and untacked her while I went for some water. I drank and ate some peanuts and poured cold water on my face and sat down. I eventually hosed Flossie off, still feeling sick as ever, letting the cold water splash me as I worked. I didn’t ride Flossie down the driveway, and once I had used the sweat scraper to get the excess water off her, I turned her out into the paddock. I did not walk her around the track as I usually do, and I didn’t even give her a good grooming before I left. Instead, I took my hot riding pants off and slipped into a pair of shorts, then I sat down and had an orange. The orange is what finally revitalized me. I could feel it doing me some good with every bite. When I was up to it, I took the carrots to Flossie and Bambi. They were near the dam, so I called them over to where I was sitting in the shade. Bambi came immediately when I called, but I had to go to get Flossie with a carrot in tow before she’d follow me back to the shade. I just stayed seated on the ground while they munched, one at my left foot, the other at my right foot. Kicky came near, eventually, which set them all to dancing a two-step around me. I put my hands up to wave them away from me. Kicky got the hint pretty quickly that there was nothing for her (she doesn’t like carrots) so she wandered off and left the three of us alone again. I enjoyed that moment with the mares even if I did get covered in orange drool and pieces of wet, slimy carrots. Bambi let me kiss her on the nose and Flossie had her happy eyes all lit up, so I was content and at peace with the world, hot as it was. I was still glad I had chosen to ride today, and I know I’ll be smiling even harder when I watch all that rain come down that’s supposed to start tonight and continue, daily, off and on, until Friday. I had my ride. Let it rain! |
| FLOSSIE'S 228th LESSON It was already hot by 8:00 o’clock but that’s when I rode this morning. There were three trucks, some with flashing lights, and a handful of men next to the track on the new road when I first arrived at Dessyland. They were just parked there, not moving or making any noise. There were some men on foot, and others in trucks and machines on the apron of Des’ driveway that were bloody well noisy, though, and they set off Bambi and the young mare who lives in the big paddock with Flossie. (This young mare is supposedly a kicker, although I’ve never seen her even think of kicking either Bambi or Flossie, or myself, and she’s had plenty of chances to do so. Anyway, because of her reputation, and because she doesn’t have a name as far as I know, I’m going to refer to her as Kicky from now on so I don’t have to keep calling her that young mare in Bambi and Flossie’s paddock). They both started up just as I started walking Flossie in hand along the track where the new road is. They started running around, tails up, heels in the air, tearing through the paddock and around the track as if goblins were hot on their trail. They flew around and came up from behind at a fast canter, strode on alongside us, even got in front of us, but do you know Flossie didn’t respond to them at all? When I mounted, the two mares were still rushing around us, cantering up from behind and alongside us, running to get ahead of us, but Flossie stayed focused on me and totally ignored them. I kept her on a loose rein and let her size up the situation for herself. I was proud of the way she handled herself. She is so sensible! However, when it came time to ride past the driveway with those men and their trucks, that was a different story. I had to double her before she’d go forward. Then I had to keep all my aids on her, intermittently, to encourage her along, for she’d take a few sure steps then hesitate. I could tell she wanted to obey me, but at the same time, I could tell she was having second thoughts. Obedience won out in the end, though, and we had a satisfying ride. The other two mares eventually calmed down until I forgot all about them. I worked Flossie on the track as usual, then did some exercises that I had introduced last week. She was much more hyper today so I didn’t spend a lot of time on them. I also varied the routine, adding some backs, turns on the haunches, both after seven strides at a canter, and then at a trot. She likes to jangle the right shank with her mouth when she gets hyper and she sure was doing a lot of that today! It was hard to get her to back straight, if at all, because she was so full of energy. It’s like she couldn’t contain herself. I gave her a different signal for a canter today, and bent her to the right when I wanted a left lead, and to the left when I wanted the right lead. She took the correct lead every time this way. She didn’t break out of the gait, either, as I had expected her to do. In fact, her strides were as strong as ever. She performed nicely on the circle, too. She’s beginning to enjoy being hosed off every week, for she’s been walking right onto the brick platform without my having to encourage her. She stands nicely while I hose her off, too. She is such a nice horse to work with, whether in or out of the saddle. After everyone had their fair share of carrots, Bambi strolled up to me very quietly from behind and touched my hands all over with her lips, looking for more. I didn’t even know she was there until I felt her lips on my hands. She blew in my ear and nibbled on my collar and I just loved every bit of the attention! I have a soft dandy brush I use on Flossie’s face and she usually enjoys a good brush around her eyes and down her nose and today was no exception. After she had her full grooming for the week, I stood beside her with my hands on her neck and her back and told her I’m going to remember this moment while I’m in India next month. I straightened out her mane and rubbed her neck. I hope I don’t get homesick for her the way I did when I was in Indonesia for a month a few years back. That was painful. It’s so hard to savor memories, though, I’ve found in the past, but it can’t hurt to keep trying. I had a few extra hours before Norm came to get me, so I spent them in the paddock with the mares. I spread my tarp down in the shade and lay back under a tree with my Stetson over my eyes. The girls sauntered over to check me out. Bambi blew her nose on my knee (she probably didn’t like the fly spray I had on) and Kicky stretched her nose out to get a good look at me. She had never seen me on the ground before. Flossie picked a tree a bit further off to close her eyes and rest under, but I could see her from where I was. Earlier, in the barn, while I was having my brunch, Sooty chose a spot by my feet to lie down and rest. I had to spray myself with fly repellent to keep the pesky things off my head and shoulders, arms and legs, and when the cat got a whiff of it, she sprung up off the ground sideways as if she had been singed by fire, and made a face at me over her shoulder as she trotted off as if to say, “What was that? And why did you do it?” I felt bad after that. I love that cat and I truly believe she loves me too. I hope this event doesn’t turn her off to me forever. This concludes the story of my day at Dessyland for the week, so I guess that means it’s time to hit the trail until next time. May yours be as happy as mine always are! |
| FLOSSIE'S 227th LESSON There were a few road workers, trucks, and tractors working on the new road when I arrived at Des’ this morning, but they were mainly gathered around the apron of his driveway and not anywhere near the track, itself. I walked Flossie around on foot before mounting to get her used to them being there because we could still see them and hear them as we’d pass by. While riding, Flossie stopped once, but with a bit of hollering and hoopla, I had her going immediately. She still thinks someone or something is going to pop out at any time, so she’s always ready for something unexpected to happen. I worked her in both directions at every gait, and then had her rest in the shade for ten minutes until her breathing came down to normal and her body temperature cooled. Then I took her back to the track and had her canter for seven strides, then I’d pull her down to a complete halt, then start her up at a canter again from the halt, nice and slow. I did this over and over and she responded as though she had been doing it all her life. In fact, she started to anticipate and was stopping on her own, so I gave the exercise a rest. She cantered slowly for me between halts. When the exercise was over, she wanted to keep going. It took a while for her to realize I wasn’t going to ask for another canter again. After that exercise, I took her to the corner of the paddock and did some circling. The ground was in great shape, even after all the rain we had had earlier in the week, so I asked for a canter as well. She went so well and so slow, I decided to practice the new exercise on her while circling, so I had her canter seven strides, then halt, just like before, only this time she wanted to halt on five strides instead of seven. Des is taking BamBam and his new horse, the one that had to have stitches in his leg recently, to the adoption center where people buy x-race horses. BamBam is too big and gangly for racing, and the other horse broke down on his first race. He still has the little colt with the odd marking on his face. He’s too young to race yet, but Des is counting on him to do well. Only time will tell, but I’d love to see him do well, too. It’ll be sad to see BamBam go since I have known him since he was two days old. I asked Gary what the name of the pain killer was that he gave Flossie that day she had colic and he said it was called Fenadine. I’m not sure of the spelling. He thought it might have a’y’ in it, but I put it to Google and couldn’t come up with anything. This other drug seems to be for pregnant women, but, hey, since it’s supposed to be a pain killer, it could be the drug in question. |
| FLOSSIE'S 226th LESSON Gary’s daughter Hannah, her friend, Amanda, and Jack were working their ponies on the track just before I got down to ride Flossie this morning. It was 6:30 when I arrived, so that gives you an idea of how early the Gerrard’s were! I had Hannah hold Flossie for me while I groomed her and tacked her up. It’s nice to see how she behaves with other people. She stood just fine, never moved a muscle. There were no power machines at all, not even parked around the premises. It was so quiet it felt like I was out in the country somewhere all by myself, far from civilization. What a nice break! I had to wait an entire year for it, but it was worth it! Nothing but grass, trees, sky, clouds, birds, and the brown necklace, which is the track. It’ll be a shame to see the traffic start back up once the road is open for public use again. Flossie is working much slower on the track and on the circle now that the commotion has subsided. She still gives the new road a wide berth, but she doesn’t take a step off the track. Even her canter is nice and slow without my having to work too hard for it. She concentrates on me, now, 100%, and with her full attention, I can start working her the way I want to again. I had her zigzagging at a trot along the track at one point, since she was going slow and steady and was paying attention. Eventually I want to have her trotting off and then back onto the track again, even circling off the track occasionally, then coming back to it again. Now that her canter has slowed down, I’ll even be able to do that exercise at a canter now as well. Since it was so hot (90 degrees) I gave Flossie a long break between work on the track and work on the circle. The kids came over and we relaxed together in the shade, chatting and sharing gossip about horses. Hannah said she sits on Flossie when she’s lying in the grass. When the mare is lying down around me, she gets up as soon as I approach her. It must be because she thinks I’m going to ask her to get up. Hannah has finally acquired her strapper’s license, which enables her to officially tack and untack horses on the track now. She had been wanting that for a long time. Now that she has the license, her mother is allowing her to miss school occasionally so she can go to the track to work with her father. When I cooled Flossie out, I put Amanda in the saddle and walked her down the driveway and back. Then I gave Hannah a turn. Getting a ride was the first thing they had asked me as soon as they saw me earlier this morning. I told them to ask Des since Flossie’s his horse, and of course he said he didn’t care. After everyone had had their carrots and Flossie was hosed off and walked in hand around the track and was done with her final grooming, I went out to the paddock to spend some time with the horses. They weren’t anywhere near the trees, however, so I sat in the shade, alone, and watched them from across the paddock. Jack had told me Flossie and Bambi were in the dam up to their knees, earlier today, then turned around and came out at a trot. He sounded excited about it so I’m glad he had the chance to witness the action. The horse that needed stitches in his leg had them taken out a week ago and now you can’t even tell where he had had an injury. Later, just before Norm arrived, Pat’s mare, Princess, got her leg caught in the wire fence that runs around her stall. She made struggling noises as I passed which made me realize something was amiss. She stood as still as a statue for me as I lifted her leg out of the wire and set her free. Then she came up to me as if to say thank you and hung around as I stood by the fence so I could rub her neck. All too soon the morning ended and now here I am back at home telling you all about it. Too bad telling it can’t be as exciting as the real thing. I just can’t find a way to send the little details that make such a morning so special. I’m at the end of the trail here, so I’m going to dismount and turn my horse loose. |
| FLOSSIE'S 225th LESSON I rode from 7:30 until 8:30 this morning. I know today’s high was 92 degrees, and even though I doubt the temperature was already that hot so early in the morning, it sure felt like it was. There were trucks and men and small machines mousing around near the track on the new road and although Flossie veered away from the side of the track nearest to them, she never stopped moving forward and I worked her for 20 minutes on the track before giving her a rest. I walked her and then had her stand in the shade for ten minutes before taking her to the circle where we walked some more. When she was ready, I worked her at a faster gait, keeping her as slow as possible. I even got a nice slow canter where it was more up and down than forward. I did this by pulling and releasing with the reins, or, I should say, lifting and lowering because that’s how it felt. I kept a nice even rhythm and had her nice and slow, moving with her motion, for almost a full lap. She has never cantered on a circle so slow before and I was very happy to see her coming along so well. I didn’t work long on the circle, however, because it was so hot, but, as if turned out, I didn’t have to, anyway, since I managed to accomplish everything I had set out to do very early on. Afterwards, I had her relax in the shade for another ten minutes before she started getting antsy. I took her down the driveway, then, and had her stand in the shade there, too. By then she was well and truly breathing normally and wasn’t so hot to the touch. She wasn’t as sweaty, either. Then I took her to the wash rack and hosed her off. I spent a lot of time doing that since she tends to enjoy it and since she worked so hard in the sun, and flew around the track, I knew she needed the shower. I put her carrots on the tarp again when I fed her. Des has another horse in the paddock with Flossie and Bambi. He was there last week, too. He didn’t come around when I gave the mares their carrots last week, but he did today. I tossed him a carrot to keep him busy, but he wouldn’t eat it. He kept wandering over to the mares which stirred Bambi up, which stirred Flossie up because Bambi would barge in on Flossie’s territory to make a try for her carrots. So I ended up chasing the gelding off every time he came near which kept the mares happy. It also kept Flossie from eating too fast. I talked to thirteen-year-old Jack when he came down with Pat to do some work around the property. He’s grown up with horses and has been riding and driving them all his life. When he turns sixteen he plans to get his license so he can race the horses like his father does. (Pat is not Jack’s father. He’s just staying with Pat for a couple of weeks while his father is out of town). We noticed Billy’s horses needed water, so we cleaned out their buckets and filled them up. One gelding was so thirsty, he would not leave the bucket. He just kept drinking and drinking. I have never seen a horse so thirsty! If it hadn’t been so hot and humid, I would have hung out with Flossie and Bambi in the paddock when I gave them their last carrot for the week, but such heat makes me feel ill and I had to retreat back to the barn after just a few minutes in the sun. I looked for a nice shady spot to park myself in, but the grass was way too tall in the area where the horses were at the time, and I wasn’t able to find a comfortable spot. It’s supposed to reach 90 degrees for the next seven days, but I hope they’re wrong and we get a cool break next week. Speaking of a cool break, that’s where I’m headed now; to look for a cool spot to relax in for the rest of the day. |
| FLOSSIE'S 224th LESSON I phoned Des an hour before I left home to let him know I’d be riding late this morning because it’s the only time Norm could fit my ride into his busy work schedule this week. I arrived at 10:15 just as Des, Gary, Hannah, (Gary’s daughter), and three others were leaving so Gary could race one of his geldings on the track in Redcliff. Pat was down to shoe a few horses, but I had the entire track to myself. I rode from 11:45 to 12:45 and would have gone longer if it hadn’t been so hot. I was playing around with some techniques on how to get a horse to change leads that I had read about in my Pat Parelli book, “Natural Horse Man Ship”. I wanted to try more ideas he suggested, but as I said, it got too hot to be fiddling around like that in the middle of the paddock with the sun blasting down, so I decided to save it for another day. Maybe when I can ride earlier and not in the hottest part of the day. The power machines were back, in fact, one of them was the one that was parked in Des’ paddock over the holidays. They were working on the new road again but they weren’t anywhere near the track. We could see them and hear them and Flossie treated that area as though she had something to be concerned about, but she never balked and I had a fun time keeping her gaits slow. She circled well for me, too, once she warmed up and even seemed to have forgotten about the machines altogether. She didn’t even give me a problem when we passed the huge wooden structure Gary’s building so the horses can swim in the dam. It was never there before, and, normally, new things like that throw Flossie for a loop, but for some reason she didn’t bat an eye at it today. Flossie took her carrots with her usual gusto and behaved like her usual self. When I first entered the paddock and approached her, she came right to me. She seemed to appreciate the hose today when I had her in the wash rack. I spent more time with her than usual since it was high noon and 85 degrees. Norm came for me just as Des, Gary, Hannah, and the rest had come and gone. The horse they took to the track didn’t place so everyone was feeling down. What a lot of effort goes into a race horse; it’s a shame when it doesn’t do what it was bought to do. Gary won’t keep this horse now. He’s always buying and selling with the hope that one day one of his horses will become a champion. It would be nice if it happened one day. |
| FLOSSIE'S 223rd LESSON I was in the saddle at 6:15 this morning! Being able to ride so early during the week has been a prayer of mine since I can’t remember how long! While everyone else I know is working in a building somewhere, behind a desk, no less, here I am, listening to the sweet sound of hooves embracing the dirt track and to the sound of the wind in my ears! How lucky is that?? I entered the track just as Gary was exiting. There were absolutely no power machines to speak of unless you want to count the neighbor’s measely tractor he used to cut his lawn with this morning. Although we were alone, Flossie still treated the new road like it were made of monsters. Every time we went by there she kept a wary eye out for trouble. However, when it came to working on a circle in the corner of the paddock, it was a different story. She was very relaxed. It’s been a long time since she’s been so relaxed on the circle! She’s slowing down at the canter, but it’s still not as slow as I want yet. It’ll take time, but at least I’m seeing some progress. Flossie refused to eat the last two carrots I offered her. I was worried that she may be getting sick again, or that she’s just not over being sick from last week, but she didn’t show any signs of colic. I fed her on a tarp instead of straight off the ground and Bambi didn’t bother her so she was able to take her time and eat real slow, which is what she did. Des was surprised to hear she had turned the carrots down, too, and said he’d keep an eye on her. Once I turned her loose, both she and Bambi went right for the grass, as usual. I didn’t see her lie down at all and she seemed to be grazing like normal every time I went out to check on her, which was often. She was still up on her feet and grazing even six hours after my ride when Norm came for me. I had planned to ride yesterday morning, but had to forfeit my time in the saddle because I didn’t get Norm out of bed in time to take me. It turns out it’s just as well because Des had the road crew digging out the bottom of his dam to make it deeper so it’ll hold more rain water. They started working on it during the time I would have been riding. It took them two hours. I asked Des if they charged him for their work and he said just a couple of cases of beer. Norm said that would have come to about $60 worth. That’s a lot of beer! Billy hasn’t been working his horses on Des’ property for a few days because he doesn’t have a trainer’s licence, which comes with an insurance policy. Every year it has to be renewed so Billy promised he’d do that tomorrow. If anything happened to Bily or his horses while working on Des’ property, Des would be held responsible and, knowing Billy, he would take advantage of that to the greatest propensity. PC, the little, teeny, tiny skewed Shetland that belongs to Pat was sold today. A woman, Sandy, and her two daughters bought him for their business. They run the Brisbane Pony Parties. They’ll be giving him a new name and will use him at school fetes and carnivals, birthday parties and the like. He’ll be lead around, carrying children on his back. The two girls are both riders and the smaller one will be riding PC. He’ll be getting a whole lot more attention now than he ever had at Des’ place. The woman will spend the next two months getting him ready for his new life by saddling him, riding him, leading him around, etc. He should have a good life with that family. He’ll be getting groomed regularly and will have four other ponies to play with! As for me, I’m going to miss him terribly. I loved giving him carrots every week and just having him around. Well, I have no other news to share with you so I guess I’ll just come to a sliding halt and say Aussie ya af-tah. |
| FLOSSIE'S 222nd LESSON Norm dropped me off at Dessyland before 6:00 o’clock am this morning but I didn’t ride until 7:00 o’clock because everyone was down and there were horses everywhere! Pat worked his herd, and was just finishing up when Gary started working three of his horses. I was sorry I had waited, though, because, as it turned out, it started raining just as I got in the saddle. Luckily it was only sprinkling but it didn’t stop until I was finished with the track. There were a couple of muddy spots on the track due to all the rain we’ve had recently. I wasn’t able to canter through them, but they were okay for everything else. Except for a few final details, the work on the new road has finally finished! They had said they’d be done by Christmas, and lo and behold, they were! I didn’t ride long today because of the weather and the condition of the track. Although I did everything else, I didn’t canter on the circle because the gait really chews up the ground when it’s wet. It was nice not having the machines around. Flossie still kept looking for trouble regardless of the unaccustomed silence. I guess she’ll be doing that for a while until she gets used to not having them around anymore. Once the traffic starts up again, though, she’ll have something else to get used to. The road crew parked their big orange power shovel on Des’ property next to the stall where Pat’s pony lives. I guess it’ll stay there until sometime next year when they need it again. I met the boy who actually owns the pony I refer to as Pat’s. He told me the animal’s name is PC (Pat had told me it was KJ). According to him, the pony is a handful. Des told me the boy’s afraid of the animal because it bucks under harness and runs away with him. The boy’s about 8 or 9 years old. The pony took a turn too fast while he was driving him and it tipped the gig over and the boy fell out. Now he wants to sell PC and get a new pony. The thing is, the boy doesn’t see the pony regularly. The same thing will happen no matter what pony he buys. You can’t keep an animal penned up all the time, and then that one day a year when you decide you want to work with it, expect it to behave perfectly. Des’ horse that needed stitches is healed up. Des said he’ll get the vet down to take them out now. Des told me he doesn’t charge Gary or Pat to keep their horses on his property because Pat takes care of the track and shoeing his horses, and Gary watches over the place when Des isn’t at home. He also builds fences and stalls and takes care of the track for Des. Des does charge Billy board, though, because he doesn’t do anything in return. We’ve had such heavy rain the grass is rich green and the dam is full once again. We’re in for more rain, though, starting tomorrow. There’s no end in sight for a week. Luckily we didn’t get any rain yesterday which gave the track 24 hours to dry off a bit. Flossie’s hooves are back to normal. You can’t see where the hooves had split. They’re a tiny bit jagged, and they’re short, but not too short, and look really good. I should take photos so you can see for yourself! Flossie got sick before I left Des’. He phoned the vet and had Gary pick up a serum for her, which he injected her with. She had been lying down for over an hour, but once she had the injection, she got up on her feet. She still wasn’t grazing yet when I phoned Des, but I’ll phone him again in the morning tomorrow to see how she’s doing. I suggested giving her mineral oil, but it seems the injection did the trick. I’m not happy right now. I just feel down for some reason, so I’m going to close here and wish you a happy New Year. |
| FLOSSIE'S 221st LESSON I phoned Des to see what condition his place was in this morning. In spite of the downpour we had yesterday, there were only a couple of puddles on the track with plenty of dry ground to navigate around them so I decided to ride today. Because there’s rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, and next week as well, I figured I better take what I can get when I can get it. Des, Gary, and Pat were at the race track so I was alone during my entire ride and for most of the time afterwards. Only a generator and about four men were working on the road this morning. Flossie didn’t like the generator and she veered off the track on the first two laps, but kept going when I prompted her. She picked up a slow canter and I kept her on it for a full lap before bringing her down to a trot again. She kept trying to speed up, but I didn’t let her. I’m working on getting her to go on a smaller circle, so after our ten minute break in the shade, I took her to the corner and worked on that. I also had her doing some work in the ‘arena’ as well. When my ride was done, and Flossie had been hosed off in the wash rack, just as I was about to cool her off in hand around the track, the huge orange power machine started roaring down the track. It was lifting a large log in the air. When it stopped, and put the log down, it started digging near the new road. I decided not to walk Flossie around the track after all. It wasn’t necessary, anyway, because she was already cool enough to have her carrots. The shower that was predicted didn’t come until after my ride and Flossie had been hosed off and everyone had been given their carrots. It made me happy that I had gotten my ride in this morning because I was expecting to ride later this week. Now that it rained again, the ground is now wetter than before. Des, Pat, and Gary came back from the track a half hour before Norm came for me. Gary and Pat left just after they had put their horses away, so Des and I had a nice chat until Norm showed up. He told me he’s going to his daughter’s Christmas Eve morning and will be staying at her place until Saturday morning. He told me he's glad he won't be staying there for long because he doesn’t like to be away from home for any length of time. All his horses got worked on Des’ track today before they left; the one with the wound on his front left leg (which is healing nicely, by-the-way), the little colt with the funny facial marking, and BamBam. He said they all did remarkably well. The colt had really surprised him since he hadn’t been worked in a long time. |
| FLOSSIE'S 220th LESSON There was only one small puddle on the track at Des’ near the railroad tracks to show for the bit of rain we had yesterday afternoon. It was so insignificant it’s hardly worth mentioning. However, when I arrived at Des’, a tractor was sitting right on the track on Des’ property, which I thought was very much worth mentioning! It took up the entire area between the new road and the dam so there was no getting past it. Men were constructing a drainage ditch for when it rains and a canal for the extra run-off, which runs beside Des’ track on the other side of his fence. Very considerately, the men drove the tractor off the track before I mounted and didn’t drive in again until I was totally done with the track. I believe the man in charge of the crew, the one who had told me his men have a schedule to keep and couldn’t be held up because I wanted to ride my horse, is the one responsible for silencing the machines when I ride past. How do you like them apples? Unbelievable! He turned out to be a really nice guy. Or maybe he just felt guilty for being so unfeeling when he realized I wasn’t being demanding and was only looking out for the welfare of my horse? A huge power machine was swivelling back and forth on the new road above us while raising and lowering its huge shovel and at first Flossie wasn’t going to go past it. I could feel her getting ready to hesitate so I encouraged her with all my aids, including my voice, to keep going. She never stopped in either direction. Of course it helped when the men turned the machine off every time they saw me coming! After six hot laps around the track, three in each direction, at every gait, I gave Flossie a long break in the shade. She was sweaty and breathing hard so we stood beneath the gums until she was ready to work again. I gave her about ten or fifteen minutes. The tractor was back on the track again by then so we watched it in action until it finally trundled off. Once gone, we never saw it again. I worked Flossie in the corner doing circles once the tractor had left the area. I told Des I sure hope they remembered to put the fence back up again before they left for the day, for they had to take some of it down to get the machine into the paddock. It started sprinkling when I was cooling Flossie out in hand on the track after she had been hosed off in the wash rack. I started circling her with my new lunge whip but the clouds suddenly let loose and the rain started to fall hard. I took Flossie’s halter off her and started running up to the yard. Wouldn’t you know, she started trotting, too, right beside me all the way! It was so cool. I looked over and there she was, at my shoulder, keeping time with me. I didn’t groom her as I usually do before I go home since she was so wet, but I’ve noticed in the past using the hose on her cleans her pretty well, anyway. I know Gary and Billy and Pat don’t groom their horses after they’ve been in the wash rack, and I think that must be why. It takes off all the dried up, caked on mud she may have accumulated through the week, as well as the sweat, so I didn’t worry about it today. Just before I went home, the sun came out between a skyful of water-color grey rain-threatening clouds that were still hanging around. However, now, five hours later, the grey has given up and have left the clouds a menacing-less bright shade of innocent white! Tomorrow’s forecast is calling for more of the same. So there you have it; my morning in a horseshoe. |
| FLOSSIE'S 219th LESSON 95 degrees was the high today and at only 7:00 o’clock this morning it was already 80 degrees. I rode from 8:00 o’clock until 9:00 o’clock. The new road was crawling with men and their machines from one end to the other and the noise was all pervasive. I had Flossie work six laps around the track, three in each direction at every gait, then I had her walk until we found a nice spot in the shade. I let her stand there for about ten or fifteen minutes to catch her breath before I asked her to circle in the corner. I worked her there very lightly in both directions at every gait as the men drove their various vehicles back and forth on the road next to us. Afterwards, we rested for a while in the shade again. I ended our time together in the ‘arena’ working around the cones I had brought from home. I want her to get used to working in the arena again and I find the cones a great aid. However, Flossie has a temper at times and when she thinks her lesson should be over, she’ll crash the cones on purpose. She knocked the blue one down today but she didn’t get away with that trick again. Much later, after she was hosed off in the wash rack and she had her last groom for the week and everyone had been fed their carrots, I strolled down to the big paddock to give Flossie and Bambi one last carrot for the day. As I walked away, they followed me so I sat in the shade where I know they like to hang out. Bambi came up to me and grazed by my side while Flossie found her favorite resting spot with her back to the tree. After we had been relaxing that way for a while Bambi suddenly looked up towards Des’ house and starting neighing. She was standing directly above me. She neighed for a good while and I think she was welcoming Des home. He had gone out to get a newspaper earlier so all I could do was assume that he had come back again. Then she put her nose over my head and blew in my ear before grabbing a mouthful of my hair and pulling some of it out of the tie I had it wrapped in. She’s clever that way and I enjoy her antics. Des’ new horse is healing nicely. The wound is swollen but the horse doesn’t seem to be in any pain. A lorikeet was trapped in his water bucket this morning. I tipped it out and it half walked, half flew off with a squawk and a wet flap of its feathers. It wobbled off as quickly as it could into the shelter of some nearby bushes where it could find a quiet place to dry its feathers. I had to tip the rest of the water out of the bucket since it was brown and muddy looking before I refilled it again. The horse was mighty thirsty so the bird must have been in there for a long time. Des said birds die that way every summer. They lean too far in when they come looking for a drink. He said I well and truly saved this bird’s life. Smile. I keep forgetting to ask Des who put the string of wire fencing up along the track where the dam is. It’s been there for about three weeks now. I’m guessing it was probably Gary. |
| FLOSSIE'S 218th LESSON Yesterday was the day the road crew chose to put in the cement wall that holds the new road up next to Des’ track. They had to take part of the fencing down and come in onto Des’ property with their trucks and machines. One of the workers saw me walking with Flossie in hand all tacked up and ready for a ride so he strolled over to the fence to let me know. I hopped right on so I wouldn’t waste any time and managed to get my ride in on the track before the work actually started. I had to double Flossie to get her past the elbow-to-elbow line-up of men who were standing around the machines in a row like a living fence. I had to dismount once and walk her past but she never gave me a problem after that. If I had raised my voice and shouted as I have in the past it would have made a difference and I probably wouldn’t have had to dismount but for some reason I didn’t think of it. After cooling Flossie out in the shade, I decided to do some circling in the corner but just as we started, a guy approached to take the fence down so they could get their machines in to work on the road. So I took Flossie to the ‘arena’ and worked her there. Pat was working Des’ new gelding in the jogger, earlier, and the poor animal cut his left front leg on a hook somehow. Des had his vet, Pete, come down and I watched as he stitched up the wound. It was superficial, thankfully, and nothing too serious. As far as filming my lap around the track as I had planned, I didn’t bother since things were pretty hectic right from the very beginning. If all goes well I should be riding again in another four days. Hopefully there will be less commotion. |
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